The present invention relates to the filling of air-vented tanks with mechanical pumps that can deliver up and beyond 65 gallons per minute and containment of these fluids at the fill pipe when they overflow or sporadically erupt without suppressing these systems which are not designed to be pressurized, it will also contain the fuel air vent over flow. Most of the existing systems in use today are what I will call a free flow system in that it will take on fluids in a natural gravity feed method and as the fluid rises in the tank, air will escape out of the tank""s air vent or the fill pipe. This method of filling tanks with fluids has been around for centuries, virtually unchanging the ocurrences of overflow and fluid vent discharges. As time has passed and our knowledge broadened, we have become aware of the need to conserve our natural resources and contain the ones that contaminate our environment. If you cannot see the fluid come out of the air vent or move up the fill pipe, you do not know if the tank is full. As time has passed, our delivery systems allow more and more gallons per minute. This adds to the problem because the more gallons per minute, the more pressure that will be exerted on the kick back. To stop this by pure suppression on present marine vessels would in time blow lines or even worse, blow a fuel tank.
We must keep in mind that many of today""s large vessels are built around the fuel tank. A ruptured tank could result in the need to cut the side of the vessel out, causing major construction and cost. Prior art has been introduced by Gary Armellino. The method of redirection and suppression may work fine at a low GPM rate but if it is capable of suppressing that well with this method, the back pressure on the system will weaken the fuel lines or the fuel tanks. Fuel leaks within the hull of a vessel are totally unacceptable. This method of suppression would promote eventual leaking of fuel within the hull. The prior art introduced by Witley does not take into consideration an allowance for violent kick back of fuel out of the fillpipe during the fueling process. There are times when fuel can come out of the fuel pipe and go several feet into the air. This unit would not allow this occurrence.
The present invention relates to the containment of fluids that are pumped by a mechanical means into a holding tank through a fillpipe.
The invention has a set of deflection shields to contain eruptions and a large air breather to alleviate the problem of back pressure. There is also a sink basin so that occasional overflows and eruptions will drain back into the fillpipe if the tank is not yet full. The unit may be set up to be built in or used as a portable device.